1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to communication systems and in particular to communication systems incorporating capabilities to provide continuity between messaging clients.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the proliferation of the Internet, the way people communicate is changing. Electronic communication such as electronic mail (email), and real time electronic messaging (e.g. instant messaging and chat messaging) is quickly replacing traditional telephonic communication and handwritten letters. Real time electronic messaging allows the simultaneous access to a message or a plurality of messages by multiple account users, with each account user capable of inputting a message or a plurality of messages to a messaging session. Each inputted message is relayed to messaging clients operating on messaging devices (such as computers) of the other account users who have chosen to participate in that messaging session. The other session participants can respond with their own messages, which are likewise relayed to all the participating devices. These messages are typically text messages that are delivered to the intended recipient(s) of the message in a real time manner. However, these messages may be in a variety of different media formats or combinations thereof such as audio, animation, video, images, etc. A session history of the messages received and transmitted by all participants involved in the messaging session is typically maintained on the individual participants' devices and typically presented on the screen of the respective device in the form of a scrolling dialog. This text history constitutes one of the attributes of the look and feel of the real time electronic messaging experience.
There are currently several standard methods available for account users to participate in messaging communications. For example, personal instant messaging typically occurs between two individuals. An individual can establish a private chat room so that multiple users can participate in a common on-line conversation. Participants gain access to the private chat room by accepting an invitation from the creator of the private chat room. Non-restricted public chat rooms are available to anyone interested in the topic being discussed by simply selecting the desired chat room descriptor on the account user's device. In addition to the non-restricted public chat rooms there are limited access public chat rooms. An example of one such restriction is the limiting of the number of account users allowed to participate in the chat room. Electronic gaming is available to participants who register and login to join at least one other participant in playing one or more games. Communication of participants' “moves” are made through electronic message communications in messaging sessions.
Each messaging session can have various types of session attributes such as session type, session connection info, participants, filter settings, colors, relative font sizes, etc. The account user can also have various types of preferences such as colors, relative font sizes, buddy lists, nicknames, and parental control settings. These are only a few examples of the attributes and preferences that can effect a messaging session.
Several different devices, such as personal computers, interactive broadcast receivers and mobile communication devices, can be utilized to participate in messaging communications. Although these different devices can be utilized to participate in a messaging communication they all do not have the same set of features and capabilities. For example, display size, support for different media types, and cost of sending messages can all be different for different devices. Some messaging service providers maintain the same user preference settings such as screen names, buddy list groups, electronic mailboxes, and parental control settings regardless of which device is used to access the service. By having this capability the service providers are providing continuity of user preferences from device to device, which simplifies the use of multiple devices in the messaging system.
In order to utilize real time electronic messaging, a device is pre-configured with, or the user installs, application client software distributed by a particular service provider. The client software connects to a message server for communication. To access the message server, via a logon procedure, the client sends the routing information (e.g. IP address and number of the port assigned to the client, mobile phone number) of the device being used, the account user's username, the account user's password, and the account user's current availability setting to the message server. The message server temporarily stores the routing and availability information for the account user's device. In response to the account user's login information (username and password), the message server provides the messaging client with the account user's contact list. The message server then determines the presence and availability of the account users in that contact list. If the message server finds any of the contacts logged in (i.e. presence setting is online), it sends a message back to the messaging client on the account user's device with the presence and availability information for that account user. The message server also sends the account user's presence and availability information to the people that have the account user in their contact list. The account user can click on the name of a person in his/her contact list who is online, and a window is created in which the account user can enter a message. The account user enters a message and clicks “send” to communicate with that person. The other person gets the message and can respond. Messages between account users may be addressed directly to the account user's device or may be addressed to the username and sent via the message server.
The window that the session participants see on their respective messaging devices typically includes a scrolling dialog of the session history. Each participant's messages appear in this window on all participating devices. Messages can have different attributes such as message formatting, sender identification, timestamps and others. For example, messages related to a particular electronic game could contain graphics enhancing the “look and feel” of the electronic game for the participants.
When the messaging session is complete, the account users close the message window for that messaging session. When the account user signs off, his/her messaging client sends a message to the message server to terminate the account user's participation in the plurality of messaging sessions. The message server then sends an update of the account user's presence and availability information to the people that have the account user in their contact list to indicate the account user has signed off. Finally, the message server discards the routing and availability information for the account user's device.
Some messaging services support access of a single account from multiple devices. Further, some messaging services also support simultaneous login of devices on the same account. Still further, some messaging services utilize a resource extension to describe the device that is being utilized to communicate. For example an account user logging in with a mobile device can choose to use “mobile device” as their resource extension while logging into the same account from the home personal computer may utilize a resource extension of “home computer”.
When using messaging services that allow access from multiple devices, an account user can log on with a first messaging device and engage in conversations with other account users and later log on with a second messaging device. For example, users of mobile devices would typically benefit if a messaging session in progress on a fixed network device could be continued on a mobile device. This would allow the account user to continue the messaging session when the account user is no longer in proximity to the fixed network device. In addition the account user would benefit if a messaging session that was in progress on a mobile device could be continued on a fixed network device that may have a superior user interface.
In order to switch to a different device with existing technology, the account user may have to cause the currently connected device to disconnect from the message server. The account user would then have to cause the second device to connect to the message server and login. Finally, the account user would have to re-initiate each messaging session (one-to-one, public chat, private chat, electronic game) that was in progress on the first device. The disadvantage of this method is the numerous manual operations required of the account user to change devices. A further disadvantage is the lack of messaging session continuity. For example, the second device will not have the session history that was available on the first device, and the second device may not be able to re-connect to chat rooms that restrict the number of active account users since another account user may have connected to the chat room after the account user's first device disconnected.
What is needed is a system and method for maintaining continuity between messaging clients.